Blumhardt: Ending with a win is huge for CSU football program

Nov. 24, 2012

Sure, it was a conference win in a conference with no real TV contract against a university far better known for basketball than football in front of a crowd, err, gathering, that could fit into Moby Arena.

Who cares. Saturday’s 24-20 comeback win decided on the final play of the season over New Mexico at Hughes Stadium was the fourth freaking win of the season for the CSU football team. Seriously, that’s how far the program has fallen. We’re not elated because the win sends the Rams to a bowl, we’re elated to not be 3-9 for a fourth consecutive season. At least for now.

Forget that the Rams’ four wins this year came against teams that before Saturday were 8-28.

As meaningless as the win might appear on the surface of a fifth losing season in the past six years, it was a win that has deep psychological ramifications for players, coaches and fans.

It serves as incentive for players to work hard over the long and boring offseason. It validates the foundation that first-year coach Jim McElwain has been laying all season. The Rams improved without three of their top defensive players, who were either forced off the team for discipline reasons or left willingly. They won four games despite losing their returning quarterback for most of the season.

And they won with players who bought into McElwain’s system of accountability for every play, every day, every game. The winning score in the closing minutes Saturday was caught by true freshman Joe Hansley from redshirt freshman quarterback Conner Smith, who lost his starting job the week before because he didn’t compete in practice. Lesson learned. Smith responded Saturday going 19 for 26 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

And the improvement, ever so slight, is a marketing tool McElwain can use when recruiting and Athletic Director Jack Graham can use when looking for donors for the proposed on-campus stadium.

Truth is there isn’t a lot of interest in CSU football these days because few people want to watch a team whose over the hump is winning four games. Need proof? The winning CSU men’s basketball team, which improved to 4-0 Saturday, drew about as many fans at its season opener against Montana (5,833) as the 6,000 who braved the CSU football team’s win over UNLV on a cold and snowy night. Saturday’s announced crowd was 12,286 but those in attendance could have fit in the 8,745-seat Moby Arena.

Winning matters.

I respect Graham and his lofty vision for CSU athletics, but sometimes when you’re too close to the problem, you can’t see the stadium for the empty seats. Earlier this week he told CSU football beat reporter Kelly Lyell: “It’s a shame that people can’t see through the noise of the record in the last three, four years and recognize the fact that they’re getting to see the start off something great.’’

At a university that lacks football history, tradition and winning, the noise of going 9-27 the three previous seasons is a sour note for the vast majority and doesn’t exactly resonate with season ticket holders to the tune of wanting to reach for the wallet to support a new stadium.

Which is why after what the Rams have gone through this season, 4-8 never looked so good.